Sequel to Mass Effect Andromeda

So online write-ups have Bioware Montreal working on anything other than Mass Effect. I realize Mass Effect Andromeda had a lot of bad publicity when it was released (and with good reason I might add) but they could have come back with a stellar sequel and that would have overcome the original but instead they put any possible sequel on indefinite hold?

I read somewhere months ago that Casey was coming back to handle the Mass Effect fallout situation.

Where are things at, at this place and time? Anyone know from first hand experience? I realize Anthem is the focus at the moment but what are the future plans for ME if any?

Andromeda has it's issues, but it's definitely better than most people and especially critics say it is. From a technical perspective, there are probably less animation errors in it now than there are in any previous Mass Effect titles.

Everything EA does is going full multiplayer. If it weren't for Anthem, I could see them releasing a Mass Effect style multiplayer game in the genre of Destiny, but given that Anthem exists I doubt we'll see anything Mass Effect related until 2030 at the earliest.

Hell, I'm still wishing for Dead Space 4, but that doesn't look like it'll ever happen at this point.

I think the Mass Effect is dead until we have reason to believe otherwise. I think it's clear that EA is done with any single player games, at least in a traditional sense.

I'm not very confident about another Dragon Age, either.

Click to expand...

The same can be said for the majority of studios. So few games are SP only these days. Look at the announced titles at E3. They're almost all all PvP or co-op. Prey DLC? Co-op. New Wolfenstien? Co-op. Fallout game? MP. Ghost Recon Wildlands? Co-op, although semi workable in SP. Far Cry 5? Designed half in mind for co-op. Hitman 2? Designed around co-op and online. Don't recall Rage 2 but I would be amazed if it was centered around an SP only campaign.

At best we get games designed around co-op that have a semi workable SP mode. Most IPs are rapidly shifting and it will get worse. We do have a few left thankfully, Tomb Raider, Just Cause, Assassin's Creed, Metro and of course Cyberpunk. But the numbers are dwindling.

Andromeda has it's issues, but it's definitely better than most people and especially critics say it is. From a technical perspective, there are probably less animation errors in it now than there are in any previous Mass Effect titles.

Bioware has said they want to go back to Mass Effect, but I wouldn't count on it for a long time. Anthem has to release and do well if Bioware has any hope of surviving. Then they are working on a Dragon Age game. If Anthem is a big hit, I'd expect Anthem 2 following the next Dragon Age. Then maybe they'll get back to Mass Effect.

Bioware has said they want to go back to Mass Effect, but I wouldn't count on it for a long time. Anthem has to release and do well if Bioware has any hope of surviving. Then they are working on a Dragon Age game. If Anthem is a big hit, I'd expect Anthem 2 following the next Dragon Age. Then maybe they'll get back to Mass Effect.

Click to expand...

That's basically my interpretation of all the information I've read about the subject.

Only Mass Effect sequel that would interest me is a continuation of the original trilogy. I need a new enemy after kicking Reaper ass!

Click to expand...

I think this is exactly what most fans of the Mass Effect franchise want but it's difficult to do. ME 1-3 were Shepard's story. They didn't want Shepard in more than three games simply because it would limit the franchise too much (and thus, the reason for the shitty ME3 endings). After ME3, there's really not much to tell of Shepard but not really much to tell of anyone else due to the way ME3 ended. I'm guessing that's why the went the route they did for Andromeda. I haven't played Andromeda because my system isn't capable and I don't really have much interest in doing so. It's not a game about Shepard and the Reapers and to me that's what Mass Effect is.

EA/Bioware wrote themselves into a corner regarding Mass Effect. The ME universe is too good to abandon but the most loved parts of the universe are basically untouchable at this point.

I think that one you establish a universe you can do a lot of things in there, like they did with andromeda, I also think that developpers should be free to make the games they want to make and not waste a perfectly good franchise just to try and please the crowds who "demand" sequel after sequel and each game needs to be at least 25% bigger and better etc..

You will win some as a creator and you will lose some, I'm not the type to say of a company that made 15 good games and 1 bad one that I'm done with them like so many I see around me these days, I inform myself and try to buy games that I think I might like and avoid the rest. In the case of andromeda I waited till they fixed a bunch of bugs and the game to go on sale, and I had a good time with most of it.

It is a bit sad that the initial onslaught on the developper killed any future content for the game but thats what you get for crapping on everything just for the sake it, similar things happened with the Deus Ex universe.

I do wish that publishers would give developpers enough time to finish the game as they envisioned it, but you also need to avoid things like DNF or star citizen type of infinite developpement hell.

We'll see. I still strongly suspect that AAA developers and most especially EA have been or are moving away from "traditional" single player games and if we do see another ME or Dragon Age down the road I will be pleasantly shocked if I'm wrong.

I bet they make another one in 2-3 years. Nostalgia is more powerful than bad press. In a couple years that'll be long forgotten and people will want a new game. Dragon Age 2 was a dumpster fire at launch and that only stalled part 3 by a couple years.

They didn't even bother with Andromeda DLC. That should tell you everything.

Click to expand...

It says nothing about how good the game is. All it tells you is that EA didn't think DLC was worth the development cost because they didn't think sales of the DLC would turn a significant enough profit after the game was lambasted over its quality issues. I think that's wrong given the game made money, but I can agree that would have been a risky endeavor on their part.

Bioware has said they want to go back to Mass Effect, but I wouldn't count on it for a long time. Anthem has to release and do well if Bioware has any hope of surviving. Then they are working on a Dragon Age game. If Anthem is a big hit, I'd expect Anthem 2 following the next Dragon Age. Then maybe they'll get back to Mass Effect.

Click to expand...

Agree 100%. So many things are contingent on Anthem's success, everything is a variable right now.

If we do see another Mass Effect, it will be after next gen hardware comes out and this whole "battle royale" craz runs itself into the ground. EA tends to watch others and copy their successes, so if Starlight and Cyberpunk do well, maybe it will improve our chances.

They didn't even bother with Andromeda DLC. That should tell you everything.

Click to expand...

That was due to the fan response ea dropped any continued development we will honestly be lucky if we get a patch for it yet...

After the backlash ea put Mass effect far far on the back burner the pr spin doctors keep poking to see how much response it gives as the speaker said something to the effect of he wants to get back to that series but unfortunately that means diddly squat...

Everything EA does is going full multiplayer. If it weren't for Anthem, I could see them releasing a Mass Effect style multiplayer game in the genre of Destiny, but given that Anthem exists I doubt we'll see anything Mass Effect related until 2030 at the earliest.

Hell, I'm still wishing for Dead Space 4, but that doesn't look like it'll ever happen at this point.

Click to expand...

Seems that way. I wouldn't mind a new Dead Space, maybe an SSX game, another Mirror's Edge, or yes, even a Mass Effect. That seems very unlikely though... ...about as likely as me ever giving EA another dime...

It says nothing about how good the game is. All it tells you is that EA didn't think DLC was worth the development cost because they didn't think sales of the DLC would turn a significant enough profit after the game was lambasted over its quality issues. I think that's wrong given the game made money, but I can agree that would have been a risky endeavor on their part.

Click to expand...

I know that. The topic was whether EA would invest in a sequel. If they felt it performed so poorly that they didn't even bother with DLC, that kinda tells you how excited they are to do another sequel.

Well, if Bungie is anything to go by (kind of a similar in some ways) it'll never happen any time soon. Seemed like Bungie wanted to branch out from their main staple of a game. Left MS, made Destiny, and will probably continue to do that for the foreseeable future.

Bioware may have wanted to give ME a rest for a while, started working on Anthem (a Destiny-ish game even,) and will probably be doing that for the foreseeable future.

One makes EA a truckload of money, the other makes Activision a truckload of money.

Well, if Bungie is anything to go by (kind of a similar in some ways) it'll never happen any time soon. Seemed like Bungie wanted to branch out from their main staple of a game. Left MS, made Destiny, and will probably continue to do that for the foreseeable future.

Bioware may have wanted to give ME a rest for a while, started working on Anthem (a Destiny-ish game even,) and will probably be doing that for the foreseeable future.

One makes EA a truckload of money, the other makes Activision a truckload of money.

Discuss.

Click to expand...

Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda were developed by different teams working concurrently. Had Andromeda gotten a green light for a sequel, it wouldn't have closed down the studio that developed it and laid off all those workers that worked on it. It would have put them to work on DLC and the next game. Its likely that the game isn't getting a sequel because the EA overlords told them "not right now." Eventually, we will get another Mass Effect game. What form it will take, how long it will take to develop and whether or not BioWare as we know it will be around to work on it are all up in the air. The Mass Effect franchise has made a ton of money for BioWare and it's EA overlords. EA isn't about to walk away from that. However, it probably felt the need to regroup, figure out what went wrong and how to proceed with another installment.

Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda were developed by different teams working concurrently. Had Andromeda gotten a green light for a sequel, it wouldn't have closed down the studio that developed it and laid off all those workers that worked on it. It would have put them to work on DLC and the next game. Its likely that the game isn't getting a sequel because the EA overlords told them "not right now." Eventually, we will get another Mass Effect game. What form it will take, how long it will take to develop and whether or not BioWare as we know it will be around to work on it are all up in the air. The Mass Effect franchise has made a ton of money for BioWare and it's EA overlords. EA isn't about to walk away from that. However, it probably felt the need to regroup, figure out what went wrong and how to proceed with another installment.

Click to expand...

Honestly that is not how you treat a series like Mass Effect. I think at this point it is best left as it is. Cancelling, making an MP based version, making it bigger and more open with more copy/paste quests and plotting sequels every now and then isn't how the series should continue on. I don't want ME to go the route of Assassin's Creed. It should be a fine tuned, well crafted story that has meaning.

Honestly that is not how you treat a series like Mass Effect. I think at this point it is best left as it is. Cancelling, making an MP based version, making it bigger and more open with more copy/paste quests and plotting sequels every now and then isn't how the series should continue on. I don't want ME to go the route of Assassin's Creed. It should be a fine tuned, well crafted story that has meaning.

Click to expand...

That ship sailed a long time ago when EA acquired BioWare during Mass Effect 2's development. While I think the Mass Effect universe is rich enough to support far more content and meaningful story lines, the franchise hasn't been treated well since Mass Effect 3. That bullshit ending was largely due to the EA overlords pushing it out the door before it was ready. Andromeda's lack of polish on release was due to EA pushing it out the door before it was ready. I wouldn't expect the franchise to be treated well going forward. We could see some re-skinned Anthem passed off down the line as a new Mass Effect game or some bullshit like that.

Thane? Spectres are fine, but not ghosts. Would have to be Kolyat or someone new. It might be interesting if Drell have gained some status and there is a Drell spectre, or they can't do that yet but someone is given the same missions, weapons, and training without acknowledging their existence.

Thane? Spectres are fine, but not ghosts. Would have to be Kolyat or someone new. It might be interesting if Drell have gained some status and there is a Drell spectre, or they can't do that yet but someone is given the same missions, weapons, and training without acknowledging their existence.

Gotta have Tali.

Click to expand...

OK, I will explain this once again. There will be no direct sequels to Mass Effect 3 in the Milky Way Galaxy. Ever. This requires BioWare to choose a canon ending. Two of the endings are entirely incompatible with a sequel. One of which is even highly offensive and both are extremely stupid. Choosing canon endings violates the idea that player choice matters even if much of it is illusory anyway. This is something it has refused to do time and time again. Furthermore, all the characters above including Kolyat are optional to recruit or even meet excluding Mordin and Garrus. All of them excluding Kolyat can be killed in ME2 and ME3. Lastly, research groups think that characters have to be human or pretty close to it for people to identify with them. This is part of the reason why you are seeing so many lead female characters now. Its all about empowering women and social justice. Where sex appeal is concerned, the characters need to be human or close to it. There are tons of reasons, some of which are rooted in social agendas while others are rooted in human psychology that none of the above will ever happen.

OK, I will explain this once again. There will be no direct sequels to Mass Effect 3 in the Milky Way Galaxy. Ever. This requires BioWare to choose a canon ending. Two of the endings are entirely incompatible with a sequel. One of which is even highly offensive and both are extremely stupid. Choosing canon endings violates the idea that player choice matters even if much of it is illusory anyway. This is something it has refused to do time and time again. Furthermore, all the characters above including Kolyat are optional to recruit or even meet excluding Mordin and Garrus. All of them excluding Kolyat can be killed in ME2 and ME3. Lastly, research groups think that characters have to be human or pretty close to it for people to identify with them. This is part of the reason why you are seeing so many lead female characters now. Its all about empowering women and social justice. Where sex appeal is concerned, the characters need to be human or close to it. There are tons of reasons, some of which are rooted in social agendas while others are rooted in human psychology that none of the above will ever happen.

They have loot boxes and multiplayer character choices like Krogan already. It blocks part of the screen, but it's still fun.

But people tire of clearing waves and then extracting. It's basically like the combat simulator from ME3 but they say it's real. So they can make a real multiplayer game.

Then what about story, we will have to see how Anthem goes. They want you to probably choose whether someone lives or dies in Fort Tarsis, then go have fun with your friends. But in their canon person X might be alive and well, dead in your fort. No romances yet. Sounds strange but it is what they said at E3.

It may not have the same RPG elements, but the combat, visuals, and exploration thing are distinctly Mass Effect: Andromeda. Heck, it feels like the game they (allegedly) wanted to make with Andromeda (minus, you know, the whole story part), but never could.

Starfield from Bethesda is the only hope I have for a sci-fi RPG. I personally loved Andromeda, and I am sure there'll be another Mass Effect game at some point but it'll be a while.

Click to expand...

There's plenty to look forward too, like Beyond Good and Evil 2 and (even though its not a space opera) Cyberpunk 2077. More tentatively, you have Star Citizen, which is getting an every-growing SP story. Other solid IPs like Prey and Deus Ex are going to get sequels too.

OK, I will explain this once again. There will be no direct sequels to Mass Effect 3 in the Milky Way Galaxy. Ever. This requires BioWare to choose a canon ending.

Click to expand...

In addition to that, I'd honestly rather have them not run the story dry. Everyone wants Shepard or the old characters back, but you'd quickly loose the point and drive behind the story. When ME3 ended I had always wanted a future Mass Effect to be something entirely different, a new universe with new struggles and whatnot to explore. Outside of some side stories I don't see much point in revisiting the old universe. ME:A came along and kind of ruined that. Had they done a good job it would have been a fine spin off story, but the fumbles and then throwing it aside was just horrible. If we get a sequel it will probably be loosely tied into it story wise, and that is not how an ME game should be.

They have loot boxes and multiplayer character choices like Krogan already. It blocks part of the screen, but it's still fun.

But people tire of clearing waves and then extracting. It's basically like the combat simulator from ME3 but they say it's real. So they can make a real multiplayer game.

Then what about story, we will have to see how Anthem goes. They want you to probably choose whether someone lives or dies in Fort Tarsis, then go have fun with your friends. But in their canon person X might be alive and well, dead in your fort. No romances yet. Sounds strange but it is what they said at E3.

Click to expand...

Mass Effect 3 had loot boxes from day one. You could earn them in game or spend cash on them. No one bitched because you weren't killing each other since the multiplayer was a basic horde mode and that's it. As for story, Star Wars the Old Republic has BioWare's story telling in a massive multiplayer online game. Granted, its somewhat diluted compared to Mass Effect or Dragon Age, but it would surprise you. On that front, the game succeeds surprisingly well. Anthem could do more of the same.

It may not have the same RPG elements, but the combat, visuals, and exploration thing are distinctly Mass Effect: Andromeda. Heck, it feels like the game they (allegedly) wanted to make with Andromeda (minus, you know, the whole story part), but never could.

There's plenty to look forward too, like Beyond Good and Evil 2 and (even though its not a space opera) Cyberpunk 2077. More tentatively, you have Star Citizen, which is getting an every-growing SP story. Other solid IPs like Prey and Deus Ex are going to get sequels too.

Click to expand...

I think Anthem was designed to compete with Destiny and follow a basic game as a service model similar to an MMO from day one. It's not a sequel to Mass Effect in their eyes. It's another money making venture that's designed to mimic Destiny. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm holing out no hope for Star Ponzi. Cyberpunk 2077 looks like a potential option and as I understand it, Deus Ex's developer is making the same bullshit shift towards online crap that everyone else is doing. I wouldn't hold out too much hope on that and besides, it's years away at best.

In addition to that, I'd honestly rather have them not run the story dry. Everyone wants Shepard or the old characters back, but you'd quickly loose the point and drive behind the story. When ME3 ended I had always wanted a future Mass Effect to be something entirely different, a new universe with new struggles and whatnot to explore. Outside of some side stories I don't see much point in revisiting the old universe. ME:A came along and kind of ruined that. Had they done a good job it would have been a fine spin off story, but the fumbles and then throwing it aside was just horrible. If we get a sequel it will probably be loosely tied into it story wise, and that is not how an ME game should be.

The whole situation is quite saddening.

No thanks. Mass Effect is an SP game, the moment you change that is the moment it isn't worth playing.

Click to expand...

Andromeda as a concept was fine. I still think its a solid foundation to build off of despite its missteps. However, that may never happen. I agree with you though that Mass Effect is and should always remain a single player game.